Airplane control surface locking means



Aug. 20, 1946. 1-. G. .LINNERT 3 5 3 AIRPLANE GONTRQL SURFACE LOCKINGMEANS Filed June so, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Theodore C1. LinnertBY ATTORNEY Aug. 20,1946. fTQ'G. LINNERT v .,v

AIRPLAkE CONTROL SURFACE LOCKING MEANS Filed June so, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR Theodore G. Linnert BY PTAL Z ATTORNEY 1946-T. 3. LlNNER'l' $406,233

I AIRPLANE CONTROL SURFACE LOCKING MEANS Filed Junesb, 1944 sSheets-Sheet :s

. I INVENTOR Theodore C1. Linnert ATTORNEY or a fuselage 4.

Patented Aug. 20, 1946 MEAN - Theodore G; Linnert, Philadelphia, Pa.,assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application June 30, 1944, SerialNo. 542,872

. V 6 Claims. (Cl. 244-"83) This invention relates to airplane controlsurface locking mechanism and has for an object the provision ofimprovements in this art.

7 One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide lockingmechanism for the tail control surfaces of an airplane which isinterlocked with-the operating mechanism of these control surfaces toassure that the control surfaces are in proper position before they canbe locked and to assure that they are unlocked before the air plane canbe flown.

Another object is to provide simple and effective locking andinterlocking mechanism.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the fol-- lowing description of an exemplary embodimentwhich is shown, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric diagram of an airplane embodying the invention;v

Figure 2 is an enlarged isometric diagram of the cockpit controls withinterlocking mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric diagram of the rudder operating andlocking mechanism;

Figure l is an enlarged isometric diagram of the elevator operating andlocking mechanism;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the interlocking mechanism; and

Figure 6 is a section and elevation taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the elevators l of the airplane turn aboutgenerally horizontal hinges 2' on stabilizers 3 anchored to the tail Theelevators are operatively connectedat their inner front ends throughpushpull rods with a central crank arm 6 of a trans verse shaft 1.Sectors 8 fast on the shaft are connected by cables 9 to a sector H1 inthe cockpit operated by the steering columns II. The steering columnsare rigidly secured to a shaft l2 carrying an arm l3 which, through alink it, arm l5 and shaft I5, is connected with the sector It.

The ailerons I 6, hinged to the wings ll, are operated through push-pullrods l8 connected to arms I9 carried on shafts 213. To each shaft 2i!there are secured sectors 2| to which are attached cables 22 leadinginto the ends of the shaft l2 of the steering columns. By the usualsystem of pulleys and sprocket chains, the aileron cables are operatedby the wheels 23.

The rudder 24, hinged to the fin 25 along the hinge line 26, isprovidedatthe lower end with a shaft 21 to Which sectors 28 are'secured.To the sectors 28 the operating cables 29 are secured, the cablespassing forward to the cockpit where they are attached to sectors 36mounted on shafts 3]. To theshafts 3l there are secured arms 32 which,by links 33 are operatively connected to arms 34 of rudder-brakeoperating.

mechanisms carried by adjustable pedestals 35. Each pedestal 35 ispivoted on a shaft 36 and the arm 34 is also pivoted to turn about theaxis of the pedestal shaft 38. The arm 34 forms part of a bell crank,the other arm 31 of which is connected by a link 38 to'an upper arm (notshown) fast onan upper shaft 39 mounted on the pedestal. The shaft 39 isoperated conjointly by foot pedals 40 mounted on depending arms 4%turn-- able about the axis of shaft 39. One of the arms 4! is fast onthe shaft 39 and; the other is fast on a sleeve shaft 42 carried therebyand internally the shafts are connected by evener or reversing mechanism(not shown) whereby the pedals movein opposite directions when operatingthe rudder.

The pedals 40 also turn about their supporting pins 43 fixed to thelower ends of the arms Al and carry arms 44 which, through links 45, areconnected to arms tt mounted on sleeve shafts turnable about the axes ofshafts 39. Through links 41 the sleeve shafts, carrying suitablearms(not shown), are connected past the pedestal pivot axis 36 to brakeoperating mechanism (not shown) The pedestal mechanism forms the basisof another application and in the present case it is only necessary toknow that some means are provided for operating the sectors 30.

Means are provided forlocking the rudder in neutral position. For thispurpose the rudder shaft 2! is equipped with a locking quadrant 5G,

' here formed integrally with the quadrants 28, 2 adapted to cooperatewith a locking pin 5| mounted in a fixed guide 52. The pin is urged outof locking position by a spring 53. i

The pin 5! is connected by a link 54, a lever 55, and a link 56, with anarm 51 carried by a cable pulley 58. A cable 59 is secured to the pulley58 by a clamp 60 and passes in two lengths to certain operatingmechanism in the cockpit or 1 is provided with a notch "which in lockingpo- 55 sition receives a'lock ing' pin' 66 inourit'ed in a fixed guide61. The pin is urged out of locking position by a spring 68. v

The pin 66 is connected by a link 99, a lever I0, and a link H, with anarm I2 carried by av cable pulley I3. A cable I4 is secured to thepulley I3 by a clamp 15 and passes in two lengths to certain operating;mechanism in the cockpit or I pilots compartmentwhich will bedescribedipres ently.

The locking pin operating cables, 59 for the; rudder and M for theelevators,flextend towa,

a 4 surfaces comprising in combination, a control column for operatingone control surface, a control shaft mounted on said control column foroperating another controlsurface, lock means for the control surfaces,operating means for at least some of said locking means located nearsaid control'column, and interlocking; means interacting between said.column, control shaft, and'lock onpoint in or adjacent the pilotscompartm'entii,

and are there clamped to cable pulleys 89 El; respectively, which arecarriedby a shaft; sup? 5 ported on fixed brackets 83; v

To the pulley'shaft 82 or to the two pulleyscar ried thereby, thereis'secured, an operating arm,

34 and to the arm there is pivoted a link rod"8'5.'j The other endrofthe link rod 85 is connected to;

, one arm of a bellcrankilevertl which is pivoted 1 one, pin 89.

lever B-lis connected to a link rod 89 which at The other arm of thebellcrank its otherend is pivoted to the end of aslidable,

swingable latch bar 90 mounted between roller guides, SI and restingupon a roller support 92 when not in use.

The latch bar 99 is operated by a hand knob 95 and is provided with alatch pin 96 adapted to be caught behind the hook 91 of a latch lever 98pivoted on the control column II at 99. Itwill be seen that when thepilot pulls the knob 95 toward him and raises it up, the. latch pin 96 vwill belplaced in a position to be engaged by the latch hook 91. If thehook is in proper position, it will engage the pin.-

The latch lever 98-.is pivoted by its pin 99 upon a bracket I 9|]secured to the control column and the portion above the pivot ispressedaway from the column by a spring I'9I. the movement of the leverunder the influence of thespring;

The upper end of the lever is provided with a groove I93, for examplebythe flanges I94 on the t sides, and the end of the shaft I95 oftheaileron control wheel 23' fits in this groove; A pin I96 of shaft I (15also enters the groove I 03 when it is aligned therewith'and in itslower position. A

reduced tip I91 on the end of the shaft 3|. is, adapted to enter anaperture in the latch lever 98 when the stop pin I95 drops intothe shaftgroove From this it will be seen that when. the control 1 column I I' isin its full forward position to place 1 the elevators in their lowermostposition and when the wheel 23 is in itsmid-position to place theailerons in neutral position, the latchv hook. 98

is sufliciently far forward to permit the, latch pin 96 to be pulledforward to the limit of its travel and to be pushed up behind the latchhook. The latch pin can be pulled forward to latching position when thelocking pins 5| and 66 enter their respective notches in the quadrantelements 59 and 8; and this is' possible only when thequadare in theirlowermost position.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes ofillustration, it is to be understood that" the invention may havevarious embodiments within the limits of the I prior art and the scopeof the subjoined claims;

7 What is claimed is:

Locking mechanism for-airplane control The rollers of the guides 9E andthe support 92 are carried by a fixed bracket A stop I92 limits eratingmeans to interlock them when the control surfaces, control column,control shaft, locking means, and operating means are in lockedposition.

2.Locking mechanism for airplane elevator nd, aileron control-surfacescomprising in com.-

-, bination,,an; elevator and an aileron each having azsupport. shaft, acontrol-column for operating the elevator and having mounted thereon ,anaileron operating shaft, locking means for the elevator: shaft andaileron operating shaft, oper atingmeans for the elevator shaft lockingmeans located near said control column, and latch means interactingbetween said column; aileron operating shaft, and look operating meansfor latching said elevator support. shaft, aileron operating shaft,.column, and lock operating means in a predetermined locked position.

Locking mechanism for airplane elevator and aileron control surfacescomprising incombination, an elevator and an aileron. each having asupport. shaft a control column for operating the elevator-and havingmounted thereon an aileron operating shaft, locking means for theelevator shaft and aileron operating-shaft, operatingmeans fortheelevator shaft locking means located near said control. column, and.latch means interacting betweensaid column, aileron operating shaft, andlock operating means-for latching said elevator support shaft, aileronop;-

erating shaft, column, and lock operating means in a predeterminedlocked-position, saidelevator being locked in its lowermost position andsaid aileron being locked in its neutral position.

irLocking means for a plurality of airplane control surfaces comprisingin combination, operating means in the cockpit fora plurality of controlsurfaces, locking means located in part in the cockpit andin partadjacent at least some of; the control surfacesremote-from the cockpitfor locking the control surfaces, meansdisposed in the cockpit foroperating the. remote locking means, and interlocking means interactingbetween said operating means-forv the 10 cking, means which is locatedat the controlsurface and the control operating means and the lockingmeans lot rants are in proper position, that is, when the rudder is inneutral. position and the elevators which islocated in the. cockpit forinsuring conjoint. locking of all the controls and at least part of thecontrol operating means when in a predetermined position.

5. Locking mechanism for airplane elevator, rudderand,aileron-controlsurfaces comprising in "combination, a control columncomp-rising means in combination, a control column comprising means foroperating the aileron and elevator 01 the airplane, control means forthe rudder, an operating shaft and a locking element therefor each forthe elevator and rudder, an operating device adjacent said controlcolumn for certain of said locking elements, and interengaging latchmeans on said column and element operating de-' vice which is engageableto hold the column and element operating device in locked position whenthe shafts, locking elements, control column, and

element-operating device are in looking position, said control columnoperating means including an aileron operating shaft having a holdingelement thereon, and said latch means including a latch lever mounted onsaid column and having a hook for engaging a pin on said lockingelementoperating device and a groove to receive said holding elementwhen the column and the aileron shaft thereon are in a predeterminedposition.

THEODORE G. LINNERT.

